We have the Winchester Cemetery Inscription Book available in the museum shop.

About this time I was about 8 years old…When I was about 10 years old a man from Lexington by the name of Allen offered $800 for me. My master told him he would not sell me and he also stated that I was just growing into money, that I would soon be worth $1,000.

Peter Bruner

       Excerpts from A Slave’s Adventures Toward Freedom.

Peter Bruner, an enslaved African American from Winchester, Kentucky, tried many times to escape his master. Eventually he was successful and was able to make his way to Camp Nelson in Jessamine County where he joined the 12^th US Heavy Artillery. After the Civil War he came back to Winchester to see his mother and then left for Ohio. He found work as a janitor at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio where he learned to read and write. He then wrote his autobiography A Slave’s Adventures Toward Freedom. 

History Detectives—We are on the hunt for words associated with Peter Bruner and the Civil War. Below is a list of words that help tell the story of Peter. Your job is to find each of these hidden words within the puzzle. Click here to see the puzzle.

Artillery   Bowling Green

Camp Nelson  Civil War

Confederacy  Emancipation

Forts   Irvine

Lincoln   Miami University

Oxford Ohio  Peter Bruner

Runaway   Slavery

Tannery   Union

Winchester

The Story of Peter Bruner

Visit the Bluegrass Heritage Museum to see an exhibit recounting stories from his autobiography and original documents tracing his history. The exhibit is located in the Agriculture Room of the museum. 

At The Bluegrass Heritage Museum we believe that a museum should be shared and enjoyed by everyone in the community. Watch this space for more children’s events and activities.